Three games in three days for baseball

The No. 22 USC baseball team will headline the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic at Chavez Ravine, Sunday, when they face crosstown-rival UCLA after tournament games against Oklahoma on Friday and No. 20 Mississippi State on Saturday respectively  at Dedeaux Field.

After winning five of their last six games, senior reliever Brooks Kriske says that this Trojan team is “hitting its stride,” as they look to build upon their 7-4 victory against Long Beach State on Tuesday. Against the 49ers, Kriske added to the superb outing from the bullpen by pitching a strong ninth inning, which kept the Trojans safely ahead after their quick 5-run second inning led by a two-run homer by sophomore infielder Adalberto Carrillo.

“As a freshman, we went through a ton of adversity as team, and it has gotten better and better because we have all kind of grown and gotten better as players together,” Kriske said. “So, as an older guy now, it was nice to see some of the younger guys bounce back from a tough first series loss.”

Coming off of their first series win against Wake Forest last weekend after poor hitting performances to begin the season, USC head coach Dan Hubbs is also impressed with the team’s resiliency. Hubbs noted that the team lost its first two games of the season but since then has turned it around and won four of its last six.

Though USC left 16 runners in scoring position and scored 7 runs on Tuesday and left 15 on while scoring 9 on Friday against Wake Forest, Hubbs says that the team’s number one priority is for the batters to improve in scoring situations with runners on base.

“You can tell by just how many guys we have been leaving on base that we need to improve. If we can relax on that spot and make that more productive, then I think you will see our run score go up,” Hubbs said. “When you score 9 and win or you score 7 and win, it does not seem like a big deal. But if you leave 14 [on] and you score 4, and you lose 5-4, then it seems like a bigger deal.”

Aside from the magnificent Trojan bullpen play all season long led by Kriske, sophomore Mason Perryman and redshirt junior  Joe Navilhon, Hubbs plans to start pitchers senior Kyle Davis against Oklahoma, junior Bernardo Flores against Mississippi State and senior Brent Wheatley against UCLA. Wheatley had a strong start Sunday in his last outing against Wake Forest in which he pitched six complete innings, while allowing just one run on three hits, and earning six strike outs.

USC players are collectively excited about their opportunity to play at a major league park on Sunday. In what is sure to be one of many future appearances for the MLB-bound reliever at Dodger Stadium, Kriske said that once warm-ups are finished, and the first pitch has been tossed, he looks forward to competing like any other game.

“Last year we had 10,000-plus people come, but it almost feels like there are more people here [at USC] when there are 2,000 people,” Kriske said. “It’s cool though because you feel like a major league player, and everyone gets amped up and usually plays a very solid game.”

The first pitch Friday night is scheduled for 6 p.m. while Saturday’s game will begin at 1 p.m., and Sunday’s Dodger Stadium game is slated for 3 p.m.

Editor’s Note: This post was updated to correct the spelling of head coach Dan Hubbs’ name.